The present invention is generally concerned with means for mounting wall hangings, normally pictures, and more particularly relates to a hanging system which insures, substantially automatically, both a level hanging or positioning of the picture, and an orientation of the picture substantially parallel to the wall.
Picture hanging, while basically a simple operation, has attendant problems with regard to maintaining a proper orientation of the suspended picture. Conventionally, a suspension wire has the opposite ends thereof secured to laterally spaced horizontally aligned points on the rear of a picture frame above the center of gravity thereof with the intermediate portion of the wire engaged over a wall mounted hook or nail. The picture, thus suspended, is not only prone to side slipping or tilting, but also, even when properly aligned, assuming a downwardly facing or angled orientation relative to the wall in view of the tendency for the upper portion of the picture to move outward relative to the wall while the lower edge of the picture engages against the wall.
Various means have heretofore been proposed in an effort to correct or eliminate one or the other of these two problems. In connection therewith, attention is directed to the following patents, constituting the most pertinent prior art known to Applicant:
U.s. pat. Nos.:
549,505; Eldridge, Nov. 12, 1895; PA1 994,511; Gross, June 6, 1911; PA1 1,475,292; FitzGerald, Nov. 27, 1923; PA1 2,384,478; Lapeyre, Sept. 11, 1945; PA1 2,448,137; Cody, Aug. 30, 1948; PA1 2,877,972; Sutton et al, Mar. 17, 1959; PA1 3,384,987; Prechtl, May 28, 1968.
In each of these patents efforts have been made to improve upon the basic picture hanging procedure described above so as to achieve improved results, primarily in picture orientation.